Year groups 'should start at birth so children are ready for school', says report

School year groups should start at birth, so children are properly prepared when they begin education, a study for the Government says.

The authors believe such a concept - in which babies enter Year One at birth - would ensure parents understand the 'health and education cycle' starts when the child is born, not when they start school.

The report, produced by Labour MP Graham Allen, believes there should also be regular assessments of the social and emotional development of every youngster, which would involve home visits by professionals.

Report: The report by Labour MP Graham Allen says school year groups should start at birth. The study followed one by Labour MP Frank Field, which found ‘huge class differences’ by the age of five

The latter suggestion has been criticised by some as a curriculum for babies.

Mr Allen's report, seen by The Times newspaper, said: 'The UK should adopt the concept of the Foundation Years, from 0-5 (including pregnancy) and give it at least the same status and recognition as primary or secondary stages.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

'Its prime objective should be to produce high levels of 'school readiness' for all children regardless of family income.'

His report calls for the government to produce a plan outlining both what children should achieve, and what families should receive in a child's first five years, such as health support and aid with speaking and reading.

Mr Allen - who will now investigate funding for the scheme - said action was needed to to help every child reach the 'school ready' standard expected in middle class families.

Andy Burnham praised Mr Allen's vision, but questioned whether it would be affordable; whereas Siobhan Freegard, co-founder of Netmums told The Times: 'Anything that rejoins the dots between the system and the mums is a good thing, but not if it says your child has failed because it can't do a certain task at the age of 18 months.

'Children develop at such different rates and it should not be used as a way of catching mums out.'

It follows a report from Labour MP Frank Field - recruited as ‘poverty tsar’ by David Cameron - which found that by the age of just five, ‘huge class differences’ already exist between the abilities of pupils from comfortable and disadvantaged backgrounds, condemning many poor children to grow up to be poor adults.

Mr Field called on the Government to give more support to parents and children in the first five years of life, with the aim of breaking the cycle of disadvantage which traps families in poverty over generations.

Share or comment on this article:

Year groups 'should start at birth to make children school ready', says report